A coordinated set of scrapbook papers served as inspiration for this decoupaged step stool. Paint colours and embellishments were matched to the papers and the papers themselves vibrantly personalize this easy project. The stool is truly multifunctional and indispensable in a child's bathroom or bedroom.
Tools and materials
• Wooden step stool
• Fine-grade sanding block
• Latex primer
• Painters' tape
• Latex paint in two colours
• Template for each letter in name (use a computer or create freehand)
• Cardstock, 8-1?2-in. by 11-in. sheets (one sheet for each letter in name)
• Pencil
• Fine-tipped scissors
• Patterned papers in complementary colours, 12-in. by 12-in. sheets (for letters in name)
• 2-in. foam or bristle paintbrush
• Decoupage medium in matte or satin finish
• Rickrack in a complementary colour to wrap around perimeter of stool top (optional)
Directions
1. Lightly sand the step stool to remove any varnish and wipe away the dust with a damp rag. Coat the step stool with a thin layer of primer and allow it to dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Mask the top edge of the step stool with painters' tape then apply two thin coats of latex paint to the legs, allowing drying time between coats. Once the paint is fully dry (according to the manufacturer's recommendations), remove the tape from the top edge and mask the bottom of the step stool with tape; then paint the top of the step stool with two coats of the second colour. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly between coats as well as after the second coat.
3. In the meantime, create a template for each letter in the child's name using your computer or by drawing the letters freehand directly onto the cardstock. Be creative -- vary the font and size of each letter such as in the sample shown. Print out one letter at a time onto a sheet of cardstock, if you're getting them from an online source. Then cut out the letters and use them as your templates. With the letters placed in reverse, trace them onto the wrong side of the patterned paper and cut them out.
4. Using the paintbrush, apply a thin coat of the decoupage medium to the entire top of the step stool and let it dry for 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Arrange the letters on the step stool until you're happy with their positions. Then, working with one letter at a time, add a thin coat of decoupage medium to the back of the letter and apply it to the step stool. Work quickly and smooth out any air bubbles with your fingers.
5. Cut a length of rickrack, if desired, long enough to circle the top of the step stool. Brush a coat of decoupage medium along the top edge of the stool and apply the rickrack. Let it dry for 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
6. Coat the top of the step stool (over the paper letters) and the top edge of the step stool (over the rickrack) with one or two coats of decoupage medium, allowing 20 minutes to 30 minutes of drying time between coats.
 | Excerpted from B is for Baby by Suzonne Stirling, with photos by Mary Ellen Bartley. Copyright 2006 by Suzonne Stirling. Excerpted with permission from The Taunton Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher. |
